Exactly twelve months after scoring a dramatic late winner against Liverpool, Estevao found himself completely sidelined as Chelsea were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties at Anfield. The Blues were eliminated following a 1-1 draw in which Morgan Rogers' opening goal was quickly cancelled out by Cody Gakpo, before a missed spot-kick from Barco sealed Chelsea's shootout defeat. Estevao watched from the sidelines throughout the contest, ultimately ending his warm-up and returning to the bench when manager Xabi Alonso turned to debutant Emanuel Emegha as part of a second-half triple change. The snub proved particularly glaring given that Chelsea were already without the injured Joao Pedro and the suspended Cole Palmer.
The situation at Anfield encapsulates a frustrating period for the 19-year-old Brazilian, who signed from Palmeiras last summer and is now in his second campaign at Stamford Bridge. Estevao has failed to start any of Chelsea's eight Premier League matches under Alonso, managing an underwhelming total of just 172 minutes of action across all competitions this season. Most of that playing time—125 minutes—came in earlier rounds of the EFL Cup against Luton Town and Leeds United. However, even in the 6-3 victory against Daniel Farke's Leeds side, which represents one of only two starts he has been handed this term, Estevao was substituted at half-time with the Blues trailing 1-0.
Estevao's path to the first team has been severely blocked by the revival of Pedro Neto. The 26-year-old Portugal international looked set to leave Chelsea for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ahli earlier this year, but he stayed to become a cornerstone of Alonso's side, starting seven of eight Premier League games and netting four goals in 11 matches, including a brace in a 2-0 win over Everton. Neto's deployment as a right-sided wing-back in Alonso's 3-4-2-1 setup has shut out Estevao on his preferred flank, leading pundit Jobi McAnuff to label the Brazilian a "victim of the system" who lacks the defensive suitability for the hybrid role. Pundit Clinton Morrison echoed that surprise after the Liverpool defeat, questioning how Estevao remained unused despite injuries to key attacking players.
Addressing the teenager's situation after the fourth-round exit, Alonso cited the physical nature of the game and explained that substitutions were constrained after Malo Gusto suffered cramps, having started Pedro Neto, Morgan Rogers, and Danny Welbeck. Alonso acknowledged the forward's frustrations, stating that Estevao "could be happier" and wants to play, while emphasizing that English football requires players to adapt to intense demands. With Alonso adamant that "the season is going to be very long" and promising that Estevao will get his chance, the young Brazilian must now look to replicate Neto's resurgence and reassert his value at Stamford Bridge.